My Safe Place
by HugsFluttershyHeart
Summary: "You can't go around playing hero, Octavia! You're mortal. You're fragile." "I've heard this speech a thousand times, Loki." "You need to learn to take care of yourself." "What, does the Prince of Lies actually care about someone?" "Yes." Living on Asgard can be dangerous for a human. Especially when you're possibly in a very close relationship with the God of Mischief or lies .


A young girl stands behind her older sister in the palace of Asgard as the older of the two requests something of the royal family. Normally, this wouldn't require the entire family's presence, but it's not often that Asgard has two human girls asking to work as servants there.

Odin sits on the throne, straight-spined and calm-looking. "What is your name?" He asks the 20-year-old girl standing before him.

She looks down shyly and murmurs, "Octavia Schmidt." It's quiet, but she can be heard.

Octavia can hear her mother chanting her name over and over in her mind, her sweet, high-pitched voice made exotic with a Polish accent. Anka Schmidt would sing Polish lullabies to her young daughters when they couldn't sleep. Octavia remembers the last thing she heard before her parents' death being one of her mother's songs as she drifted off to sleep.

Odin's voice pulls Octavia out of her bittersweet reverie. "Hello, Octavia Schmidt. What is it that brings you here?" His voice is loud and booming, startling her slightly. Octavia is used to the quiet of the S.H.I.E.L.D. library, as that was where she usually stayed during her workday. A loud voice is a new thing for her. She had been unsettled by Thor's booming voice. Odin is basically Thor's voice to the tenth power.

She bites her lip briefly before speaking nervously but steadily. "I'd like to work here as a servant, please, until the Bifrost is fixed and my sister and I can return home. To Earth- er, Midgard." She stumbles over the last few words, remembering that in Asgard, Earth is called Midgard.

Loki objects quickly for reasons unclear to Octavia. "Od- Father, this human may be incapable of handling Asgardian ways-" He's cut off by Odin.

"She's done well already, son." Odin turns to the small (well, in comparison to he and his sons) girl and smiles good-naturedly. "Octavia Schmidt," again with her mother's voice playing like a CD on repeat in her head, "if you can prove that you can work well as a servant here in the palace, I shall hire you. In return for your labor, what payment would you prefer?" He inquires, ready for any bargain she can throw at him.

Octavia hasn't considered this, so she focuses on the essentials, realizing that she and Alexandra have no place to stay. "Oh. Um. I guess just a place for my sister and I to live in and food and water and clothing. That's it. I hope that's not too much to ask. I'm sorry, sir."

Odin smiles, satisfied with her request. "Nonsense! That's fine. I'll have Brynhildur show you to the servants' quarters." He motions to a tall, female servant in a pink gown with a polite smile for the newcomers as Loki curls his hands into fists, looking exasperated over something.

That was surprisingly easy. Octavia grins and curtsies. "Thank you, sir." She looks back towards her sister, who is a mirror image of her, except tinier. Her long, dark ringlets are braided, and her older sister's are half pulled back, half let down. Octavia nudges her younger sister lightly, earning a toothy grin. "Say thank you, Lexie."

Alexandra smiles at Odin and bows, giving a salute. "Thank you, Mr. Odin, sir."

Odin only laughs heartily in reply, smiling at the newest citizens of Asgard.

"I'll give you two a few minutes to get everything in order." Brynhildur murmurs to the two, winking at Alexandra, who gives a giggle.

Loki strides quickly up to Octavia as she, Alexandra, and Brynhildur walk into the hallway outside the throne room. "Octavia."

Octavia has been hoping that he wouldn't confront her about this, but she turns around and gives him a small smile. "Oh, hi."

Loki doesn't hold back with his insight. "This is a mistake. You can't be here." He says to her, earning a confused, slightly hurt look.

"Why not?" The girl asks him, and he is quick to reply.

"Because the Frost Giants will come and try to take over Asgard at some point. Do you know where they're going to go first? Here. They'll come to the palace." His voice is low and intense and it's starting to make Octavia feel a little bit uncomfortable. The last time he spoke to her like this, he was in a S.H.I.E.L.D. observation cell on Earth and being hateful towards her.

She looks away, not wanting to deal with this right now. "It'll be fine."

Loki raises an eyebrow and rolls his eyes at her naivety. "You're human. You're fragile. It won't be fine- they'll take you and any others who may have information about Thor's, Odin's, Frigga's, and my whereabouts if they have to kill you to get it."

She only closes her eyes and takes a step away as Loki steps closer. "Loki, you're overreacting just a bit."

He shakes his head, disagreeing completely. "You're underestimating them. I'm simply trying to make things clear for you."

Octavia's voice turns cold as she turns away. "Yes, you've made it very clear that my sister and I are weak, defenseless humans. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go with Brynhildur and Alexandra to our new home." She walks over to the girls as Loki decides it's not a good idea to talk to her right now.

Brynhildur's brown eyes are wide when Octavia comes over to her and they quickly start walking away. Astonishment is in her voice when she speaks. "Did you really just say that to the prince?"

Octavia furrows her brow and frowns. "Did I do something wrong?"

The pretty servant shakes her head, unsure of what to say. "Nobody dares talk to him like that. It's a bit surprising to see someone in the palace other than his family who can talk to him like that and be tolerated."

Octavia understands now. She sees that what she said may have been considered disrespectful on Asgard. "Oh. I'm… close, you could say, with Loki. He learned to tolerate me during his stay on Ea- Midgard." She gives a little laugh at memories of Loki becoming frustrated with her.

Brynhildur nods as they walk downstairs. "Ah. Does he give you the 'fragile human' speech often?"

Octavia grins, nodding. "A bit too often, but I usually let it be. I see where he's coming from, everyone here being immortal and all."

Brynhildur declares, "That was very brave of you, Octavia Schmidt."

"You can call me Tavia or Tavi if you want." The mortal responds cheerfully. A friend is something new for her, though she has Loki and Darcy (well, Darcy is on Earth, though).

Brynhildur cracks a dazzling smile. "That was very brave of you, Tavia."

Octavia blushes slightly. "Thank you, Bryn." She hopes that the servant will like the nickname.

Bryn smiles. She's never had a nickname, and this is new to her. "Bryn. I like that."

Octavia grins and Alexandra pokes her, pointing to a large statue. "Good, because you'll have to get used to it." Octavia "ah"s at the statue and Alexandra nods in agreement.

Bryn laughs, grinning at her new friend. "I can deal with that. Come, now. I think you'll like the servants' quarters. They're not as elegant as the rest of the palace, but they're quite nice."

"Alright. C'mon, Lexie."

**Review, please? I'll love you forever. XD**

**XO,**

**Alyson**


End file.
